Good Trouble Network

With more than 220 LGBTQ+ candidates elected during the November 2020 election cycle, a record number of Black LGBTQ+/SGL leaders prevailed. Among the winners are Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17), who both became the first openly LGBTQ+ Black Members of Congress. Torres is also the first openly LGBTQ+ Afro-Latinx Member of Congress. Listed here are profiles of this ground-breaking group of elected officials.

The National Black Justice Coalition views this moment as a unique opportunity to expand our network and to build a robust political action agenda to advance our federal and state public policy influence. NBJC has enlisted the leadership and partnership of Andrew Gillum to help build the strategy and blueprint for this network, at every level, to:

1. Celebrate this historic moment in our movement where there have been so many elected leaders who identify as both Black and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in ways that will enable us to provide a safe and supportive space to build; and 
   
2. Survey and synthesize the political priorities that Black LGBTQ+/SGL elected officials are championing in ways that advance policies and practices benefitting Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, families, and communities.

The Good Trouble Network virtual convening is a place for the network to gather and strengthen community; for NBJC to talk about the importance of this work/the network/investments in Black LGBTQ+/SGL leadership/communities; and to ensure that federal elected officials are aware of, connected to, and bought into advancing the priorities of and otherwise responding to the needs of the network.